Wednesday, April 26, 2017

The Voice to How Tall Is Grant

One man is hearing things

Another man is seeing things

The Voice (Italian sonnet)

He heard a voice he hadn’t heard before
It beckoned forth so anyone could hear
It seemed so strange so many did ignore
This melody which he now felt so clear
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It sang about a time so long ago
When things seemed so much brighter than today
His dreams then seemed to have a smoother flow
He wondered why they shouldn’t stay that way
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So nearer to the voice he ventured on
Not weary of so much he left behind
Not leery of such promises now drawn
And shadows looming furthest from his mind
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Here is the voice he hadn’t heard till now
Of all those little things he did not see
The truth of things he could not now avow
Is free to live a life once meant for he

A man is led on by a strangely familiar voice in this Italian sonnet. An Italian sonnet is like a Shakespearean sonnet except instead of a rhyming couplet an Italian sonnet has another quatrain. In this sonnet a man hears a voice. As the sonnet goes on, the voice becomes more complicated up to the third quatrain (the conflict stanza). Thing become clear in the final quatrain. Clear except for one thing: What is the voice saying to us?

It wasn't a man, but a woman, Anna. Anna was a secretary at Chevron. We became friends when I worked in Copy Services. One afternoon Anna treated me to lunch. It was in appreciation for all the fine work I had done for her. As we talked over lunch, the discussion turned to "inner voices". I shared with her mine. She tried to share with me hers. Anna's seemed to a bit more confusing and complex. I told her to try to listen to it more carefully. As time went on, I learned that it was a bit more involved. Anna worked for Chevron Shipping. It was her dream to be a sailor on one of the oil tankers. There was only one problem. She was a woman. (It was a different time.) This stifled Anna's voice. As we would talk, Anna got more frustrated. I eased her by telling her to follow her voice. Then it happened. A girl was suing Chevron for sexual harassment. It seems men were catcalling her in the halls. This led to other cases dealing with how women were being treated at Chevron. Chevron responded heavily with a program to make sure all of its employees are treated equally, fairly and with respect. This was how Anna fulfilled her dream. She met and passed the same requirements as any crew member of an oil tanker. I would see pictures of Anna in "Chevron Shipping's Safety News" letters. She looked happy.

There was a time when people where limited: by sex, race, social classes and many other things. Except for a fortunate few, we were not truly equal. (Ironic statement.) Most, of the older generation, just accepted things as the status quo. Then comes my generation and human relations began to be challenged and changed. We still have a long way to go. But we can do things our ancestors couldn't; in many ways, including sex, race, et cetera. This puts a lot on us. No longer can we freely say, we can't do this, we can't do that, because. In today's world there is so much more we can do. The only "because" is us. We all have voices within us. When the "because" becomes old age, let the voices shout, "We did it." Live life to the fullest. Pursue your dreams. Know there is nothing we cannot do. Let our life rejoice in the marvels our time, and Enjoy.

As we move forward let's take a moment: Brian Crain "Voice from the Past"

Need another perspective

Perspective is an understanding of how aspects of a subject relate to each other and to the whole. A subjective evaluation of relative significance or a point of view. The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance. Confused? So is Mike Trapp of College Humor.

Let's see if we can size this up. "How Tall Is Grant? "How Tall Is Grant?"

The phrase 'if you think you can you are right, and if you think you can't you are also right' has a lot of truth.We do indeed have a way to go to reach equality, but the first steps have been made. And it is up to us to build on them.

I see the picture seems to be a beach, but still I'm wondering if you meant to post this poem for the "grain of sand" prompt? I want to say--not knowing how you intended the poetry to work with the commentary--that long long ago things for women were much worse--darker, not brighter. Maybe that is what the male narrator in the poem is discovering? Love the music.

i am glad that she finally made her dreams come true.Nature created all equal though power [any kind,physical,economical etc] leads people to fall in wrong directions and try to break the laws of nature from where the all miseries began .beautiful poem Martin!

I really liked this poem...and we do have a long way to go for equality (btw, I chaired the PR and Publicity grps for the MI chapter of NOW until I moved, so I've working for equality for women for decades).